The Life of Hollywood Action Hero Sylvester Stallone

That same year, Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in Rocky IV, sending Rocky Balboa into one of the franchise’s most famous fights. The movie introduced Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren, and framed their battle through the tense Cold War atmosphere of the 1980s.

The film was glossier, louder, and more political than the earlier Rocky movies. It turned Rocky into a symbol of American endurance while giving audiences one of the series’ most memorable villains. Offscreen, Stallone’s personal life was becoming just as public.